A thin film containing nickel is mainly used for a member of an electronic component, such as a resistance film and a barrier film, a member for recording media, such as a magnetic film, a member for a thin film solar cell, such as an electrode, etc.
Processes for forming the above-described thin film include flame hydrolysis deposition, sputtering, ion plating, MOD techniques including dipping-pyrolysis process and sol-gel process, and chemical vapor deposition. Chemical vapor deposition (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as CVD) processes inclusive of ALD (atomic layer deposition) are the most suitable for many advantages, such as compositional controllability, excellent step coverage, suitability to large volume production, and capability of hybrid integration.
MOD and CVD processes use a compound having an organic ligand as a precursor supplying nickel atoms to a thin film. Patent Literature 1 reports a tertiary alkoxide compound of nickel, and Patent Literature 2 reports a method for producing a mixed oxide thin film containing nickel atoms and prepared by a CVD process using an alkoxide of nickel. In addition, Non-Patent Literature 1 reports the preparation of a nickel oxide film by an ALD process using a tertiary alkoxide compound of nickel.
As to nickel compounds, no reports are made to the secondary alkoxide compound of the present invention and no reports are also made to a method for producing a thin film using the same.